‘Horrible Bosses 2’ works better

November 25, 2014 6:22 PM

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Was “Horrible Bosses” actually sequel-worthy? Sure, Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day had some loose, likably foolish chemistry as wage slaves plotting to off their workplace tormentors. But the filmmakers seemed to have a little trouble differentiating between raunchy and off-putting. Jennifer Aniston was funny as a filth-spouting nympho dentist sexually harassing Day’s hapless character — but jokes about, say, down-and-out Wall Streeters reduced to “Midnight Cowboy” hustling? Oof. And the more palatable humor was mostly disposable. You’d think that the leads would each just move on to their next sitcom-ish feature of the week.

Instead, they’re all back for “Horrible Bosses 2,” a new misadventure whose negligibly refined formula somehow ends up being more consistently entertaining. Well, “refined” is probably the wrong word — there’s still plenty of gleefully bad taste in this contrivance about reluctant Nick (Bateman), ov...